Lamp socket



Oct. 25, 1927. 1,647,100

H. 0. WHITE- LAMP SOCKET I Filed May 1. 1924 Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES HAROLD C. WHITE, 0]? CLEVELAND,

MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OHIO, ASSIGNORTO THE GUIDE MOTOR LAMP or onro.

LAMP SOCKET.

Application filed Ma 1, 924. Serial No. 710,220.

. This invention relates generally to automobile lamps and moreparticularly to a novel construction of socket employed in connectionwith said lamp.

One object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly simple andeasily fabricated form of socket which can be used in connection withany of the standard types of lamps.

Another object of the invention is to pro- Vide a socket in which therewill be a solid current carrier as distinguished from one in which thecurrent is carried partially by the springs forming a part of thesocket.

Another object is to provide means for taking up the vibration wherebythe connection between the socket and the conductor wire is, renderedmore secure. Other objects of the invention will appear as the p descrition proceeds.

Wit these various objects in view, the invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction and the manner of combining and arranging thesame, all of which will be fully descrlbed hereinafter and set forth inthe appended claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1- is a viewof a lamp partly in section and showing the practical application of minvention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectiona view partly in elevation; Fig.3 is a sectional plan-view; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the socket;Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of one-of the contact plates; 6 isa detailed sectional view of Fig. 2; ig. 7 is a rear end view of thesocket; and Fig. 8 is' a detailed view partly in section showing themanner 0 connecting the conductor wire to the contact late.

Re erring to the drawings A indicates the usual lam casing and B thereflector therein. C indicates the incandescent lamp the plug C of whichis inserted in the tubular socket D which in turn is fitted in thesleeve E which is rigidly connected to the reflector B. and extendsrearwardly, as most clearly shown.

The tubular socket D has an angular rod or late F connected thereto andthrough which the adjusting screw Gr works in order to change the focusof the lamp. This screw G is passed through the rear end of the lampcasing as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A spring G surrounds thebolt between the depending end of the rod F and the'back of the casing.The depending end of the rod is threaded and it is obvious that byturning the screw, the lamp can be moved back and forth in order tofocus the same. The tubular socket D has the usual bayonet slots D andalso the friction slots D By employing friction slots a firmer hold issecured upon the socket of the incandescent lamp.

In practice Iprefer to shape the tubular socket D from a plate of metalrolled into cylindrical form and having an integral tongue D whichinterlocks with a correspondingly shaped notch D. In addition to thetongue D the edges of the plate from which the tubular socket is formedare also rovided with outwardly extending tongues D which are passedthrough an opening in the forward end of the rod F and bent in oppositedirections in order to establish the connection between the tubularsocket D and the adjusting rod F. The rear end of the late is alsoformed with inwardly projecting lugs D which serve to hold theinsulating diskv H adjacent the rear end of the tubular socket andwithin this tubular socket there is also employed another insulatingdisk I which disk is formed with lateral lugs or extensions I which fitinto openings I produced in the sides of the tubular socket.

In this manner the insulating disk I is positioned within the tubularsocket and is permitted a limited back and forth movement. Theinsulating platesH and l are i provided with parallel registeringapertures in which the contact plates K are placed, each contact platebeing offset at K and the plates Kare arranged with these oil'sets insuch manner as to space the rear ends K a considerable distance apartwhile their forward ends are comparatively close together and held inproper position for contact with the terminals C of the lamp socket C.Each plate K is an opening K there being oppositely dis posed tonguesextending into said opening for the purpose of positioning the coilsprin s L which are placed within the opening 3 with the ends thereofcontactin with the tongues K These springs I6 maintain the contactplates in their forformed with wardly projecting positions so that arugged contact between the ends of the plates in? the terminals of thesocket is always To the rear end of each contact plate K there isattached a coupling device M by means of which the conductor wires N.are connected to the contact plates. These coupling members arebifurcated at their upper ends and through which the screw M passes,said screw being threaded into the threaded aperture K in the end of thecontact late. This bifurcated end is upset as indicated at M in order tohave an enlarged contact upon the end of the contact plate inasmuch asby means of this construction, it can contact with the side as well asthe edge of the contact plate.

The lower end of the coupling member M is formed with overlapping earsor lugs M which securely embrace the insulated conductor wire and inaddition to these overlapping lug portions M, the coupling member isalso provided with lugs M which are folded down over the metallicportion N of the conductor and from which the insulation has beenremoved and in practice it is preferred to complete this connection by asoldered joint so that the electrical conductor is positively andpermanently connected to the coupling member. By having the lowerencircling arms or lugs M contact with the elastic covering of theconductor, the connection is cushioned to a certain extent so that thevibrations to which the lamp is subjected are not communicated to theactual connection between the coupling member and the electric conductorN. By this arrangement the contact is not so liable to crystallize andbecome broken as in the present method wherein no cushioning effect isobtained.

It will thus be seen that I provide an cxceedingly cheap and simpleconstruction of socket made up preferably from a sheet of metal andshaped into a tubular socket in such a manner as to facilitate itsconnection to the other parts of the lamp. It will also be noted that,owing to the peculiar construction and arrangement of the contactplates, a rugged and secure contact is had at all times between thecontact plates and the lamp terminals. The feature of establishing acushioning connection between the conductor wire and the contact platesis also important as materially prolonging the life of the socket.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is 1. The combinationwith a tubular member, of insulating disks arranged therein, contactplates working through said disks, each plate having an opening and lugsat ends of said openings, springs arranged in said openings andpositioned upon said lugs,

and means for connecting said plates to the conductor wires.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a tubularmember having openings in its sides and inwardly projecting lugs at itsrear end, of an insulating disk arranged Within the tubular member atthe rear end thereof, a second insulating disk arranged within thetubular member and spaced from the first disk, said second disk havinglaterally projecting extensions fitting into the side openings in thetubular member, both of said insulating disks having spaced openings,contact plates arranged in said openings, each contact plate having anopening, springs arranged within said openings and adapted to maintainthe contact plates in their contact positions.

3. The combination with a tubular member having openings in its sidesand inwardly projecting lugs at its rear end, of an insulating diskarranged within the tubular member at the rear end thereof, a secondinsulating disk arranged Within the tubular member and spaced from thefirst disk, said second disk having laterally projecting extensionsfitting into the side openings in the tubular member, said insulatingdisks having spaced openings, contact plates arranged in said openings,each plate having a longitudinal opening with oppositely disposedprojecting portions at the end of each opening, springs arranged in saidopenings and positioned by the oppositely disposed lugs, said springsmaintaining said contact plates in their contact positions.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a tubular socket member comprising aplate bent into cylindrical form and having an integral tongueinterlocking with a correspondingly shaped notch, said tubular memberalso having oppositely disposed outwardly extending tongues forconnection to a rod, said tubular member also having oppositely disposedopenings in the sides thereof and inwardly projecting lugs at the rearends thereof, an insulating disk arranged in the tubular member at therear end thereof and a second disk arranged within the tubular memberand having oppositely disposed lateral projections fitting into theopenings in the sides of the tubular member, said insulating diskshaving spaced openings, contact plates located in said openings, eachcontact plate having a longitudinal opening provided with oppositelydisposed lugs at the ends thereof, springs arranged in the openings inthe contact plates and positioned upon the lugs at the ends of saidopenings, said springs maintaining the plates in their contact ositions,the rear ends of said contact plates lieing offset.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

HAROLD 0. WHITE.

